With the start of free agency just over a day away, some notable trades have already been made. Perhaps the most significant one is a trade that isn’t too surprising: the Hawks moving Dejounte Murray. There have been rumors that one, if not both of their two star guards would be traded as they either head for a rebuild or try to improve via free agency, but the surprising part is what they got for Murray in return.
In sending him to the New Orleans Pelicans, the Hawks are getting Larry Nancy, Jr, Dyson Daniels, the Lakers’ 2025 first round pick, and the least favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ first-round picks in 2027, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
While two role players and what should be two mid-to-low future first round picks may not seem like much for a two-way All-Star guard coming off a career-high season, also consider what they gave up to acquire him from the Spurs in the first place: their 2025, 2026 and 2027 first round picks, all either unprotected or swapable in the Spurs’ favor (plus Danillo Gallinari, whom the Spurs waived and has seen minimal playing time in the NBA since due to his injury history).
While at the time the trade was a bit heartbreaking for Spurs fans as it indicated they were entering tank mode, it ultimately worked out exactly as hoped as they won one of the most coveted lotteries ever the very next summer to draft Victor Wembanyama, immediately countering Murray’s claims that the Spurs would be rebuilding for the next 20 years. Meanwhile, all the Hawks have to show for acquiring Murray is one first round exit and missing the playoffs entirely, and while that led them to winning the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history this year, this wasn’t exactly the strongest draft, and the jury is still out on exactly what Zacharrire Risacher’s ceiling will be.
For now, it sounds like the Hawks are going to at least try to rebuild around Trae Young (so Spurs fans who were terrified they would try and trade for him can rest assured), but it begs the question, could they not have gotten more for Murray? While it might mean more to them to get two first round picks in the two years that the Spurs will own theirs, was there any negotiations to try and get more on-court help if the goal is to try and retool around Young? The Pelicans are reportedly shopping Brandon Ingram, so was he available?
Ultimately there’s no way of knowing what negotiations went on or what the Hawk’s end game is right now, but the bottom line is at least as far as this chapter in Murray’s career goes, the Spurs (and possibly the Pelicans) are the winners in all this. The Hawks essentially mortgaged their future to them for an awkward guard pairing that didn’t work and now are trying to retool without many assets, while the Spurs have possibly the best prize of all in Wemby while being flush with draft assets, cap space, and many promising young players.
As much flack as Brian Wright gets for some of his decisions from a spoiled Spurs fan base, one thing can’t be denied: a lot of things seem to keep going right, and as more of the acquisitions he acquires turn into usable assets, the more respect he will continue to earn. At least for now, the Murray trade is his greatest achievement.
